All-natural beauty remedies | part II

Earlier this year I discussed my favorite natural beauty remedies on Haute Mess. Since then, I explored the natural beauty community further–it’s so much bigger than most of us realize!–and fell in love with several other earthy remedies. After all, isn’t that my duty as a blogger?

While my previous post focuses on treating facial skincare concerns, this one is geared towards the body and wellness overall–something that’s just as close to my heart (and just as important in general).

Over the past few months I’ve definitely gotten into a handful of different natural remedies. Summer is all about naturally glowing, smooth skin, and these products definitely help me achieve just that. And as the seasons change, I am super excited to have these newfound loves in my collection all year long.

Bone broth: I always say that beauty starts within, so having an overall healthy lifestyle is a huge part of my beauty routine. Recently, I’ve really gotten into bone broth because it is loaded with minerals and collagen.

A brand called Epic, available on Thrive Market, has four yummy bone broth flavors made with simple, super food ingredients like turmeric and apple cider vinegar. My favorites are the chicken and bison flavors, but they also offer beef and turkey. I love to sip on a warm cup of this health food before bed a couple times a week to help me unwind while loading up on nutrients.

Schmidt’s deodorant: Natural deodorant was something I never really thought about in the past to be completely honest. But, I started doing some research after a few of my fellow Glossier Reps mentioned they were into it and decided to give it a try.

I discovered an affordable brand called Schmidt’s (available on Amazon and Free People, one of my favs) and asked the girls about it–thankfully, it received their seal of approval, so I went ahead and ordered it. I chose the charcoal + magnesium one.

Schmidt’s is formulated without harmful ingredients like aluminum, propylene glycol, parabens and phthalates. Plus, it’s certified vegan and cruelty-free, and made in the U.S., which I love!

Coffee: I’ve never, ever been a coffee drinker. But, I love using coffee grinds as a body mask and scrub; exfoliating helps combat ingrown hairs and softens the skin. Last winter I got hooked on Cup O’ Coffee from Lush, a mask made with cocoa extract and, of course, coffee.

Not only does it smell like a warm, comforting drink while it buffs away dry skin, it also contains kaolin, a mild clay that gently draws impurities from the pores. There is a variety of research from a ton of sources that suggests caffeine, like that found naturally in coffee, has skin-firming and anti-aging properties.

Stylecraze.com writes, “Free radicals are responsible for causing premature skin aging. This results in the appearance of wrinkles, fine lines and loss of elasticity…The antioxidants contained in caffeine can attack these free radicals and eliminate them…[improving] the overall appearance of your skin.”

The caffeine in coffee also helps combat cellulite.

“Caffeine present in skin care products can dehydrate fatty cells. This results in the water disappearing from the surface of your skin…[minimizing] the appearance of cellulite,” Stylecraze.com continues.

I always keep Cup O’ Coffee in my medicine cabinet because I love using it once every 7-10 days. In less than 10 minutes, this body mask gives me a top-to-toe deep clean and the exfoliation I need.

Sea salt: Much like coffee grinds, sea salt is great for exfoliating the skin–and it contains a few other benefits, too! Because salt acts as an antiseptic, per livestrong.com, it removes bacteria living on the skin, unclogs pores and reduces inflammation.

When the skin is freshly exfoliated and dead skin cells are buffed away, it allows for the regeneration of healthy new cells.

“This regeneration process tightens the skin, giving it a firmer and younger-looking appearance,” according to livestrong.com.

Lately, I’ve been loving Ocean Salt from Lush, a body cleanser and scrub made with coarse *and* fine sea salt. This product makes my skin impossibly soft, and, like everything else from Lush, Ocean Salt does its job while smelling like heaven. It’s even gentle enough for everyday use (personally, I alternate between this one and a more moisturizing body wash).

Shea butter: Shea butter has been a popular ingredient in body lotions for yeeeaars, but I never realized the miracles it works–until this summer. A couple months ago, Bali Body sent me a free Luxe Moisturizing Lotion with my order (thanks, BB!), and I’ve never loved a body lotion so much. Coming from someone who is as picky with her body lotions as I am, this is say a lot!

This lotion has a silky, liquid-y formula that never, ever feels sticky or greasy; it instantly sinks into the skin. And because it is full of natural ingredients like Shea butter, it never caused any irritation–even on my ultra-sensitive neck and chest.

After only a few uses, my parched summer skin was softer than it had been before–so much so that I could actually skip a day without compromising its hydration. I will definitely be purchasing this lotion sometime in the future, but first, I plan on checking out other Shea butter formulas.